THINK: The Omer & The Death Of R' Akiva's Students Pt I - Methodologies of Learning

For the next few weeks we will do a deep dive into the world of Rabbi Akiva and his students. Many are familiar with the teaching that it is the death of thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students during this period that initially lent the omer an element of mourning (in addition to one of joy). The reason for their death? Because they didn’t treat one another with the respect and care that they each deserved We will try to recreate the world that they inhabited, and in so doing discover a uniquely important period that shaped the direction of Judaism in general and Jewish learning in particular Tonight we look at the unique historical with the Jewish future at a crossroads and the starkly contrasting approaches to Torah learning of Rabbi Akiva and his teacher Rabbi Eliezer Source sheet here